Electrical can opening device



March 19:61 w. P. FRANK ETAL 2,974,408

ELECTRICAL CAN OPENING DEVICE Filed May 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 52 K 6I I I 46 I 66 F 44 I I I I 1m I Z 4 50i r 65 I Z I I I I .J/ -32 4z\ I Iq /a II I I Z2 35 I I H p,: I II I 4 I I 56 4- I I II 5?0\\ J L II J. L

HQ 2 MAL/AM 2 22 I E/am ea M FRANK Arroe/vm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIORSMzz/AM P. FeAA/K E/cm: 20 M FZA/VK W. P. FRANK ETAL lllll illlllllw} T MML March 14, 1961 ELECTRICAL CAN OPENING DEVICE Filed May 25, 1959ELECTRICAL CAN OPENING DEVICE William P. Frank and Richard W. Frank,both of 2114 2nd Ave. N., Great Falls, Mont.

Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,453

6 Claims. (Cl. 30--4) This invention relates to a can opening device,and it particularly relates to an opening device of the. electricallyenergized type.

Various electrically operated can opening devices have heretofore beenproduced, however, they were generally quite complex and, consequently,not only costly to manufacture but also subject to easy disorder. Oncedamaged, they were difficult to repair and when such repair was made, itwas usually at inordinate cost.

It is one object ofthe present invention to overcome the aforesaiddifficulties by providing an electrical can opener which is relativelysimple in construction and easy to use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical canopener which does not tend to become easily damaged but which, whendamaged, can be easily repaired.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved canopener, of the character described, that is easily and economicallyproduced, which is sturdy in in construction, and which is highlyeflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists inthe details of construction and combination of parts, as will be morefully understood from the following description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of acan opening device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings wherein similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts, there is shown a can opening device,generally designated 10, which is adapted to cut openings in beer orbeverage cans or the like, such as shown at 12.

The can opening device comprises a base 14 spaced from the supportingsurface by a peripheral flange 16. On the base 14 is mounted a housing18 of generally U-shaped cross-section with the curve of the U formingthe rear wall area and the opposite or front portion being open. Thisopen front is closed by a front plate 20 having opposite flanges 22secured within the open front of the housing 18.

The front plate 20 does not extend as high as the housing 18, the upperportion of the housing 18 being in the form of a curved hood 24extending over and above the upper end of front plate 20. This hood 24also extends forwardly beyond the front plate 20, thereby, in effect,overhanging it in spaced relation thereto (as best shown in Fig. 1).

Connected to front plate 20, at the bottom thereof, is a can support 26of U-shaped cross-section having a bottom wall 28 and arcuate side walls30 leading down to an open front. The front plate 20 also is providedwith struck-out can bracing arms shown at 32.

re States Patent Within the housing 18, on the bottom wall 14 thereof,are provided a pair of upstanding, spaced cars 34 to each of which ispivoted, as at 36, a mounting bracket 38. These brackets 38 areconnected to a solenoid 40 to pivotally support the solenoid between theears 34.

The solenoid 40 is provided with a solenoid plunger 42 having ears 44 atthe top thereof. A pivot pin 46 extends between cars 44 and pivotallysupports one end of an arm 48 of convex curvature. This arm 48 ispivotally connected, intermediate its ends, to a vertical link 50, thispivotal conection being provided-at 52. The

link 50 is pivotally connected at its lower end, as at 54,

to a pusher arm 56 having a forward estension 58, this extension 58projecting through an opening 66 in plate 20, and being hinged to theplate 20 at 62.

The arm 48 is also pivoted at 64 to the top of plate 20. The' forwardend of the arm 48, forwardly of binge 64, is provided with a knife point66 connected thereto in any desired manner, as by rivets 68 or the like.

Within the housing 18, below the arm 56, is provided a push typeelectrical switch 70 connected to solenoid 46 by wires 72 and having aswitch rod or button 73 extending forwardly through an opening in frontplate2ti. The rod or button of switch 70 is normally biased, by a springor the like, to a forwardly extending position wherein the switch isopen, the switch being closed when the switch rod is pushed in.

In operation, a beer can or the like, such as can 12, is slid onto thecan support 26 until it is firmly engaged between clamp arms 32. In thisposition, it automatically pushes in the rod or button '73 of switch 70,thereby actuating solenoid 40. This causes solenoid plunger 42 to rise.This moves up the rear end of arm 48 causing this arm to pivot on hinge64 so that the knife 66 is moved to cut into the top of the can 12 (asshown in dotted outline in Fig. 1).

As the arm 48 pivots in the aforesaid manner, it causes link 50 to moveupwards. This causes arm 56 to pivot around on hinge 62, resulting in aslight forward movement of extension 58. This movement of extension 58is enough to push the can 12 away from switch '70 a distance sufiicientto disengage the rod or button 73 of switch 70. As a result, switch 70is opened, solenoid 40 deenergized, plunger 42 falls of its own weight,and arm 48 swings back to its normal position carrying knife 66 out ofthe can 12. The can is then ready to be removed and used in the mannerdesired.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting,since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of theinvention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

1. An electrical can opening device comprising a housing, a solenoidsupporting means pivotally mounted in said housing, a solenoid mountedon said sup-porting means, a solenoid plunger vertically movable in saidsolenoid, said plunger being pivotally connected at one end to one endof a rocker arm, said rocker arm being hinged intermediate its length onsaid housing and having a knife portion extending outwardly of saidhousing over a can holding means, said can holding means being connectedto said housing and being constructed and arranged to hold a can in aposition wherein said knife portion is insertable downwardly thereintoupon rocking motion of said rocker arm, means in said housing actuatableby the insertion of a can into position in said can holding means toenergize said solenoid, and means operatively connected to said rockerarm to push the can inserted in said can holding means away from saidsolenoid energizing position to deenergize said solenoid upon rockingmove- .ment of said rocker arm and withdraw said knifeportion from saidcan.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a hood on said housing overlies saidknife portion. a

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means to energize said solenoid isa push button switch normally biased into the path of the can insertedinto said can holding means, said switch being normally open.

4. An electrical can opening device comprising a housing, a solenoidsupporting means pivotally mounted in said housing, a solenoid mountedon said supporting means, a solenoid plunger in said solenoid, saidplunger being pivotally connected at one end to one end of a rocker arm,said rocker arm being hinged intermediate its length on said housing andhaving a knife portion extending outwardly of said housing over a canholding means, said can holding means being connected to said housingand being constructed and arranged to hold a can in a position whereinsaid knife portion is insertable thereinto upon rocking motion of saidrocker arm, means in said housing actuatable by the insertion of a canin said can holding means to energize said solenoid, and meansoperatively connected to said rocker arm to deenergize said solenoidupon rocking movement of said rocker arm, said means to deenergize saidsolenoid comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to said rockerarm and at its opposite end to a pusher arm, said pusher arm beinghinged to said housing and having an extension movable into the path ofa can inserted into said can holding means.

5. An electrical can opening device comprising a a housing having asolenoid pivotally mounted therein, an open top on said housing coveredby a hood spaced from the front wall of the housing, a plunger in saidsolenoid, said plunger being pivotally connected to one end of a rockerarm, said rocker arm being hinged to the top of said front wall beneaththe hood and having a knife portion outside the housing, said hoodextending over said knife portion, a can holding means outside saidhousing but connected to the bottom of said front wall, said can holdingmeans including an open front end and arcuate side Walls mounted on arelatively flat bottom wall, clamping means extending from said frontwall of the housing over said can holding means and below said hood, aswitch in said housing in electrical circuit with said solenoid, saidswitch being normally open and having a push button extending into thearea defined by said can holding means, and a pusher arm operativelyconnected to said rocker arm and movable therewith to move into the areadefined by said can holding means when said rocker arm is actuated bysaid plunger.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said front wall is a flat plateseparably connected to said housing, said housing being of generallyU-shaped cross-section wherein the bridge of the U defines the rear wallof the housing and the arms of the U define the side walls thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,703,926 Ragan Mar. 15, 1955 2,779,096 Moore Jan. 29, 1957 2,791,828Hatchett May 14, 1957

